Non-volatile electrically alterable memory cell for storing multiple data and manufacturing thereof

ABSTRACT

A memory cell that includes two control gates disposed laterally between two floating gates where each floating gate is capable of holding data. The memory cell is formed by placing a first polysilicon on a substrate of semiconductor material, on which a well is placed. The control gates are preferably formed by a Damascene process, in which a first polysilicon is removed after forming two floating gates, and a second polysilicon is placed between these two floating gates. An anisotropic etching is later done on the second polysilicon to form two control gates.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to the U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/801,789, Non-Volatile Electrically Alterable Memory Cell for StoringMultiple Data and an Array Thereof, filed on Mar. 16, 2004, whichdisclosure is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to logic gate structures, andparticularly, to an electrically erasable and programmable read-onlymemory (EEPROM) and to Flash EEPROMs employing floating gate structures,and more specifically, to a self-aligned manufacturing process thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Electrically erasable and programmable non-volatile semiconductordevices, such Flash EEPROMs are well known in the art. One type of FlashEEPROM employs metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS). floating gate devices.Typically, electrical charge is transferred into an electricallyisolated (floating) gate to represent one binary state while anuncharged gate represents the other binary state. The floating gate isgenerally placed above and between two regions (source and drain)spaced-apart from each other and separated from those regions by a thininsulating layer, such as a thin oxide layer. An overlying (control)gate is disposed above the floating gate provides capacitive coupling tothe floating gate, allowing an electric field to be established acrossthe thin insulating layer. “Carriers” from a channel region under thefloating gate are tunneled through the thin insulating layer into thefloating gate to charge the floating gate. The presence of the charge inthe floating gate indicates the logic state of the floating gate, i.e.,0 or 1.

Several methods can be employed to erase the charge in a floating gate.One method applies ground potential to two regions and a high positivevoltage to the overlying gate. The high positive voltage induces chargecarriers, through the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism, on thefloating gate to tunnel through an insulating layer that separates theoverlying gate and the floating gate into the overlying gate. Anothermethod applies a positive high voltage to a source region and groundsthe overlying gate. The electric field across the layer that separatesthe source region and the floating gate is sufficient to cause thetunneling of electrons from the floating gate into the source region.

Typically, the induction and elimination of electrical charges from thefloating gate depends on the voltage applied to the control gate andinduced into the floating gate. The coupling ratio between a controlgate and a floating gate is important because it determines the voltageinduced to the floating gate. The coupling ration depends on theexposure between these two gates. Memory cells with long tall gatesfacing each other are desired because of good coupling ratio; however,they are difficult to manufacture. Therefore, it is to thismanufacturing process the present invention is primarily directed to.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention is a non-volatile memory that includes afirst trench isolation region, a second trench isolation region apartfrom the first trench isolation region, a control gate having a firstwidth, a first floating gate having a second width, and a secondfloating gate having a third width, wherein the control gate beingplaced between the first and second floating gates and the first widthof the control gate and the second and third widths of the first andsecond floating gates being defined by the first and second trenchisolation regions.

In another aspect, the invention is a self-aligning method for definingthe width of an active region of a non-volatile memory device using amask, wherein the active region includes a control gate and two floatinggates. The method includes the steps of forming a first and a secondfield isolation regions using the mask, and forming an active region ofa non-volatile memory device between the first and second fieldisolation regions, the active region having a width defined by the firstand second field isolation regions, wherein the width of the activeregion further defines a width of the control gate and each of the twofloating gates.

In yet another aspect, the invention is a self-aligned method fordefining a channel length of a floating gate in a semiconductorstructure, wherein the semiconductor structure includes a polysiliconlayer, a plurality of blocks of a sacrificial material on the top of thepolysilicon layer, and a layer of oxide material covering thesemiconductor structure. The method includes the steps of etching theoxide material to form a gate mask that has a length and etching thesacrificial material and the polysilicon layer to form a floating gateunder the gate mask, wherein the floating gate having a channel lengthdefined by the length of the gate mask.

In yet another aspect, the invention is a self-aligned method formanufacturing an electrically alterable memory device on a semiconductormaterial composed of a structure of a first semiconductor layer dopedwith a first dopant in a first concentration and a second semiconductorlayer on the top of the first semiconductor layer doped with a seconddopant in a second concentration, the second dopant having an oppositeelectrical characteristic than the first dopant, the secondsemiconductor layer having a top side. The method includes the steps ofgrowing a layer of tunnel oxide or an insulating material on the topside of the second semiconductor layer, depositing a layer of aconductive material, such as a first polysilicon layer, on the tunneloxide layer, forming a plurality of shallow trench regions along a firstdirection, depositing a layer of a sacrificial material, such as asilicon nitride layer, on the top of the first polysilicon layer, andetching the silicon nitride layer to form a plurality of isolationchannels along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular tothe first direction. Two adjacent isolation channels delimits one blockof silicon nitride and each block of silicon nitride has two lateralsides, a top, and a bottom, and extends substantially from the top ofthe silicon nitride to the top of the first polysilicon layer. Themethod further includes the steps of forming two gate masks along twolateral sides of each block of silicon nitride, etching the firstpolysilicon at the bottom of each isolation channel to extend theisolation channel to the tunnel oxide. Two adjacent isolation channelsdelimit one block of first polysilicon located under one block ofsilicon nitride. The method is followed by filling the isolationchannels up to the top of the silicon nitride layer with an oxide,etching each block of silicon nitride to form a plurality of controlchannels, etching the center of each block of first polysilicon toextend the bottom of each control channel to the tunnel oxide, andfilling each control channel with a second conductive material, such asa second polysilicon. The step etching the center of each block of thefirst polysilicon leaves two lateral blocks of first polysilicon undertwo gate masks, and two lateral blocks of the first polysilicon servesas floating gates while the second polysilicon serves as control gate.

In yet another aspect the invention is an electrically alterable memorydevice. The memory device includes a first semiconductor layer dopedwith a first dopant in a first concentration, a second semiconductorlayer on top of the first semiconductor layer, doped with a seconddopant that has an opposite electrical characteristic than the firstdopant, the second semiconductor layer having a top side, and twospaced-apart diffusion regions embedded in the top side of the secondsemiconductor layer. Each diffusion region is doped with the firstdopant in a second concentration greater than the first concentration,and the two diffusion regions including a first diffusion region and asecond diffusion region, wherein a first channel region defined betweenthe first diffusion region and the second diffusion region. The memorydevice further includes a first floating gate having a first side, asecond side, and a first height and is comprised of a conductivematerial, and a second floating gate having a first side, a second side,and a second height and is comprised of a conductive material. The firstfloating gate is disposed adjacent the first diffusion region and abovethe first channel region and separated therefrom by a first insulatorregion, the first floating gate capable of storing electrical charge.The second floating gate is disposed adjacent the second diffusionregion and above the first channel region and separated therefrom by asecond insulator region, the second floating gate capable of storingelectrical charge. A first control gate and second control gate aredisposed between the first floating gate and second floating gate. Thefirst control gate has a third height and is comprised of a conductivematerial. The first control gate is disposed laterally adjacent thefirst floating gate and separated therefrom by a first verticalinsulator layer and above the first channel region and separatedtherefrom by a third insulator region. The second control gate has afourth height and is comprised of a conductive material. The secondcontrol gate is disposed laterally adjacent the second floating gate andthe first control gate and separated from the second floating gate by asecond vertical insulator layer and separated from the first controlgate by an oxide layer deposited between two control gates. The secondcontrol gate is placed above the first channel region and separatedtherefrom by the third insulator region.

The present invention is therefore advantageous because it enablesmanufacturing of multi-data memory cells. Other advantages and featuresof the present invention will become apparent after review of thehereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, DetailedDescription of the Invention, and the Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a plurality of memory strings according toone embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 2-15 illustrate structures of a memory cell during differentmanufacturing stages.

FIG. 16 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 17 illustrates yet another alternate embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Three electrically programmable and erasable non-volatile memory stringsare shown in FIG. 1. Each memory string 100 includes an active region106 running vertically and a plurality of control gates 102 runninghorizontally across multiple memory strings. The active region otherthan gate areas is heavily doped with a first dopant. The control gateis formed by polysilicon or other suitable material. A plurality offloating gates 104 are disposed adjacent to the control gate 102 andover the active region 106. Each control gate 102 is surrounded by twofloating gates 104 on two sides.

The combination of two floating gates 104 surrounding one control gate102 over one area of the active region 106 forms a memory cell 103. Eachmemory cell 103 stores two data, one on each floating gate 104. Eachmemory string 100 may have many memory cells 103. The memory cells 103on a memory string 100 are delimited by a first select gate 116 and asecond select gate 120. The first select gate 116 and the second selectgate 120 run horizontally over all memory strings 100 and over theactive region 106. The area of the active region 106 not covered by thefloating gates 104, the control gates 102, and the select gates 114,116, 118, 120 are doped diffusion regions. A vertical connector 121connects the active region 106 to a bit line 110 that runs verticallythrough multiple memory strings 100.

Each memory string 100 is connected to an adjacent memory string 100through the active region 106. The separation of memory cells 103 in onememory string 100 from memory cells 103 of an adjacent memory string 100may be accomplished through an isolation layer 122, such as localizedoxidation (LOCOS), recessed LOCOS, mini-LOCOS isolation, field implantisolation, thick field oxide isolation, shallow trench isolation (STI),deep trench isolation, full oxide isolation, and other suitableavailable methods. The isolation layers 122 used to separate activeregions 106 may be interconnected instead of discrete elements. In someembodiment (not shown), the isolation layers 122 can surround an entireactive region. A plurality of memory strings 100 may form a high densitymemory array. Each of memory strings 100 may be formed through themanufacturing process of the present invention, which is describedherein.

Typically, a memory cell manufacturing starts from a silicon wafer, across section of which is shown in FIG. 2. The cross section 200 shows asemiconductor substrate 202 and a well 204 on the top of the substrate202. The substrate is doped with a first dopant, which can be either Ntype or P type. The well 204 is formed by doping the substrate with asecond dopant with an electrical characteristic that is opposite of thefirst dopant. After the substrate 202 and well 204 are formed, a layerof tunnel oxide 206 is grown on the top of the well 204.

After the tunnel oxide 206 is grown, a layer of first polysilicon 302 isdeposited on the top of the tunnel oxide 206 as shown in FIG. 3. Thefirst polysilicon 302 is later used for forming floating gates. FIG. 4illustrates formation of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions 402 thatare used to isolate memory cells of adjacent memory strings 100. The STIregions 402 are formed by etching out on a first direction a region thefirst polysilicon 302, the tunnel oxide 206, and partially into the well204. The resulting STI region 402 extends from the top of the firstpolysilicon 302 into the well 204. The STI regions 402, also known asfield isolation regions, may be interconnected at their ends. In somesituations, the STI regions 402 may be interconnected at both of theirends and completely surround transistor elements implemented at thelater stages. After etching the STI regions 402, a liner oxidation isgrown over the surface of the STI regions 402 so the silicon surface isprotected from the next step of field implant. The field implantprovides additional doping to the bottom of the STI regions 402 andserves to isolate adjacent memory cells. The etching of the STI regionsand field implant could be done through any of processes known to thoseskilled in the art. Although, STI is illustrated in FIG. 4 and used inthe description, it is understood that other isolation techniques, suchas deep trench isolation, can also be used. Deep trench isolation wouldbe formed by etching into the substrate 202.

After the liner oxidation, the STI regions 402 are filled with oxide502, as shown in FIG. 5, through high density plasma (HDP) oxidedeposition. The oxide 502 may also be deposited through either achemical vapor deposition (CVD) or Silicon Glass (SG) deposition.Materials other than Silicon Glass may also be used for the deposition.The oxide deposition process is followed by an anneal process, in whichthe temperature is raised to relieve stress in the structure resultingfrom the deposition process. The excess of oxide 502 are removed througheither a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process or planarizationetching process, and the resulting structure is shown in FIG. 6.

Though etching of the STI regions 402 and subsequent filling with oxide502 has been described above, it is appreciated by those skilled in theart that other methods, such as those listed in paragraph [0020], may beused.

FIG. 7 shows a layer of silicon nitride (SiN) 702 being deposited on topof the polished surface. The silicon nitride is a sacrificial materialthat is deposited and etched to provide insulation. The SiN layer 702covers the oxide 502 in the STI regions 402 and the first polysiliconlayer 302. After the SiN layer 702 is deposited, the next step is toetch the SiN layer 702 along a second direction that is perpendicular tothe first direction of the STI regions 402. The etching of the SiNlayers 702 forms a plurality of isolation channels 802. Each isolationchannel 802 extends from the top of the SiN layer 702 to the top of thefirst polysilicon 302. The etched SiN layer 702 is shown in FIG. 8. Onthe top of the SiN layer 702 is deposited a layer of spacer oxide 902 asshown in FIG. 9. Another anisotropic etching operation removes theexcess of the spacer oxide leaving a layer attached to the lateral sideof the SiN 702, extending from the top of the SiN 702 to the top of thefirst polysilicon 302, forming gate masks (oxide edges) 1002 as shown inFIG. 10. The gate masks 1002 have a length 1004 and serve asself-aligned guides for the next step, polysilicon etching. The firstpolysilicon 302 is etched along the second direction as the SiN 702layer extending the isolation channels 802 from the top of the SiN 702to the tunnel oxide layer 206 as shown in FIG. 10. At the bottom of theisolation channels 802, source and drain implants 1006 are formed. Thesource and drain implants 1006 are done by doping and leaving the bottomof the isolation channels 802 with an appropriate dopant, which isdifferent from the second dopant used for doping the well.

After the source and drain implants are done, another layer of lineroxide is grown over the entire structure including the top of the SiN702 and the lateral surface of the first polysilicon 302. The isolationchannels 802 are then filled up with an oxide 1102 through the HDPprocess. The oxide 1102 provides reinforcement to the first polysilicon302 that will be used as floating gates. After the HDP process, anotherCMP process is performed to produce a plain surface as shown in FIG. 11.The removal of the first polysilicon from the isolation channels 802 andsubsequent filling out the isolation channels 802 with oxide is known asDamascene process.

The remaining SiN 702 between oxide edges (gate masks) 1002 is nowremoved through an etching process to expose the first polysilicon 302.The exposed first polysilicon 302 is removed by anisotropic etching,which removes only material in downward direction along the oxide edges1002. This removal of the first polysilicon 302 leaves a thin block 1208of the first polysilicon 302 under each gate mask 1002, as shown in FIG.12, which will be used as floating gates of the resulting memory cell.The length 1210 of the channel of the resulting floating gates aredefined by the length 1004 of the gate mask 1002. The removal of thefirst polysilicon 302 is a delicate operation and generally tends toweaken the resulting block 1208 of the first polysilicon 302, andsometimes even causes crumbling of the first polysilicon 302. However,because of the previous step for the Damascene process shown in FIGS. 10and 11, the resulting block 1208 of the first polysilicon 302 isreinforced. The result of etching out the SiN 702 and the firstpolysilicon underneath is a plurality of control channels 1204 shown inFIG. 12.

A layer of oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) is deposited on the entirestructure, and then removed with anisotropic etching, leaving only avertical layer of ONO 1202 attached to the side wall of the oxide edges1002 as shown in FIG. 12. The tunnel oxide 206 at the bottom of thechannel 1204 is also removed exposing the well layer 204. After etchingthe ONO, a high voltage threshold voltage (HV Vt) implant is formed.Dopants are implanted to the well layer 204 at the bottom of thechannels 1204. The concentration of dopants modifies the thresholdvoltage of the resulting memory cell. After HV Vt implant, a gate oxides1206 is grown at the bottom of the channels 1204.

FIG. 13 illustrates the channels 1204 filled with deposition of a secondpolysilicon layer 1302. The second polysilicon 1302 is doped withdopants to increase its conductivity so later it can be used as controlgates for the resulting memory cells. After doping, the secondpolysilicon 1302 is polished by the CMP process or planarization etchingand the resulting structure is shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 14 illustrates three memory cells (not to scale), each memory cellcomposed of one control gate 1402 and two floating gates 1404 a, 1404 b.A first floating gate 1404 a of polysilicon material is placed above achannel region 1406 and adjacent diffusion region 1006 a. The firstfloating gate 1404 a may overlap slightly with the diffusion region 1006a; however, excessive overlapping may reduce the length of the channelregion 1406. The first floating gate 1404 a is separated from thechannel region 1406 by a tunnel oxide 206. The thickness of the tunneloxide 206 should be thin enough to allow removal of electrons from thefirst floating gate 1404a under the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism,but thick enough to prevent the occurrence of a leakage current betweenthe first floating gate 1404 a and the well 204. In one embodiment thethickness of the tunnel oxide 206 is between 60 Angstroms and 110Angstroms. The length of the tunnel oxide 206 under the first floatinggate 1404 a can be smaller than one lambda, where the lambda is definedby the technology used. For example, if the technology uses 0.18 μm,then one lambda is defined as 0.18 μm. A second floating gate 1404 b ofpolysilicon material is similarly placed.

A control gate 1402 is placed above a channel region 1408, laterallybetween the first floating gate 1404 a and the second floating gate 1404b. The control gate 1402 is separated from the first floating gate 1404a by a first vertical insulating layer 1202 a and from the secondfloating gate 104 b by a second vertical insulating layer 1202 b. Thecontrol gate 1402 is separated from the channel region 1408 by the gateoxide 1206. The thickness of the gate oxide 1206 should be thick enoughto sustain the stress from the control gate's 1402 voltage variation.The voltage at the control gate 1402 may vary during operation of thememory cell and cause stress on the gate oxide 1206, thus leading to thedeterioration of the gate oxide 1206. The control gate 1402 is connectedto control gates in other memory cells in different memory strings. Theentire structure is finally covered by a layer of oxide 1502 as shown inFIG. 15.

In an alternative embodiment, in the process described above, the oxide502 and the silicon nitride 702 are interchangeable and the resultingmemory cells would also be operational as described above. In yetanother alternative embodiment, the process described above is equallyapplicable for manufacturing of N-channel devices instead of P-channeldevices as described above.

The first floating gate 1404 a has a first height measured from itsbottom edge to its top edge and the second floating gate 1404 b hassecond height also measured from its bottom edge to its top edge. Thecontrol gate 1402 has a third height measured from its bottom edge toits top edge. The first height, the second height, and the third heightmay be identical or may be different. The first height and the secondheight may be taller or shorter than the third height. The floatinggates preferably have height that is larger than their width. Being ashape that is tall provides more area exposed to the control gate andthus allowing more voltage from the control gate be induced to thefloating gates. Though a floating gate has a slender profile, itsstructure is reinforced by the oxide deposition 1102.

The coupling effect depends on the thickness of the layers 1202 a, 1202b separating the control gate 1402 from the floating gates 1404 a, 1404b and the area on each floating gate 1404 a, 1404 b exposed to thecoupling effect. The coupling effect can be easily increased byincreasing the area of the floating gates 1404 a and 1404 b exposed tothe control gate 1402, and the area of the floating gates 1404 a and1404 b exposed to the control gate 1402 may be increased by increasingthe height of the control gate 1402 and the height of the floating gates1404 a and 1404 b. A capacitor is formed between the control gate 1402and each floating gate 1404 a, 1404 b. If the layer 1202 a, 1202 bseparating the control gate 1402 and the floating gate 1404 a, 1404 b istoo thin, a leakage current may occur between the floating gate 1404 a,1404 b and the control gate 1402 when the floating gate 1404 a, 1404 bis charged with electrons. If the layer 1202 a, 1202 b is too thick, thecoupling ratio may be low, resulting in a low voltage in the floatinggate. One workable coupling ratio is between 50%-80%, i.e., 10 V appliedto the control gate 1402 results in 5 V to 8 V induced in the floatinggate 1404 a, 1404 b. The combination of the control gate 1402, thefloating gates 1404 a, 1404 b, and the diffusion regions 1006 a, 1006 bforms a control transistor. The control transistor is capable of holdingtwo data independently, one in each floating gate 1404 a, 1404 b. Eachfloating gate 1404 a, 1404 b may be independently programmed and capableof store multi-bits of data as described in the related U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/81,789. FIG. 16 is another representation of thecontrol transistor described above.

FIG. 17 is another embodiment 1700 of the present invention. In thisembodiment 1700, the previously single piece control gate 1402 formed bythe second polysilicon is etched through the anisotropic process. Twoblocks of the control gates 1702 a and 1702 b are formed with onechannel 1704 separating them. The channel 1704 is later filled with adielectric oxide. Two capacitors are formed in FIG. 17. One capacitor isformed by the control gate 1702 a, the floating gate 1706 a and theisolation layer that separates them. Another capacitor is formed by thecontrol gate 1702 b, the floating gate 1706 b and the isolation layerthat separates them. Each capacitor forms a memory cell. The controlgate 1702 a faces the floating gate 1706 a, and the control gate 1702 bfaces the floating gate 1706 b. An additional diffusion region is placedin the well 204 and between the two control gate 1702 a and 1702 b.

In another embodiment, the floating gates have L-shape profile. One sideof the floating gate faces a control gate 1702 and other side faces alayer of shielding oxide. The shielding oxide is a dielectric materialand has low (k) capacitance dielectric value. The shielding oxide layerserves as a shield that reduces infringing effect from adjacent memorycells. The “leg” portion of the L-shape floating gate provides anadequate gate over the tunnel oxide. Other shapes of the floating, suchas triangle, may also be used to achieve the effect of reducinginfluence of adjacent memory cells. In a memory cell withtriangle-shaped floating gates, an oxide layer of opposite triangleshape can be placed adjacent to the floating gates and to provide theisolating effect.

The memory cells described herein can be easily programmed with theoperating voltages described in the related U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/801,789. Although, the present application is described for FlashEEPROMs, it is understood that the invention is equally applicable forone-time-programmable (OTP) memories, multiple-time-programmable (MTP)memories, and other non-volatile memories.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention as set forth in the following claims. Furthermore, althoughelements of the invention may be described or claimed in the singular,the plural is contemplated unless limitation to the singular isexplicitly stated.

1. A non-volatile memory device comprising: a first trench isolationregion; a second trench isolation region apart from the first trenchisolation region; a control gate having a first width; a first floatinggate having a second width; and a second floating gate having a thirdwidth, wherein the control gate being placed between the first andsecond floating gates and the first width of the control gate and thesecond and third widths of the first and second floating gates beingdefined by the first and second trench isolation regions.
 2. Thenon-volatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the first trenchisolation region and the second trench isolation region areinterconnected.
 3. A self-aligning method for defining the width of anactive region of a non-volatile memory device using a mask, wherein theactive region includes a control gate and two floating gates, comprisingthe steps of: forming a first and a second field isolation regions usingthe mask; and forming an active region of a non-volatile memory devicebetween the first and second field isolation regions, the active regionhaving a width defined by the first and second field isolation regions,wherein the width of the active region further defines a width of thecontrol gate and each of the two floating gates.
 4. The self-aligningmethod of claim 3, further comprising the step of connecting the firstisolation region to the second isolation region.
 5. A self-alignedmethod for defining a channel length of a floating gate in asemiconductor structure, wherein the semiconductor structure includes apolysilicon layer, a plurality of blocks of a sacrificial material onthe top of the polysilicon layer, and a layer of oxide material coveringthe semiconductor structure, comprising the steps of: etching the oxidematerial to form a gate mask, the gate mask having a length; and etchingthe sacrificial material and the polysilicon layer to form a floatinggate under the gate mask, wherein the floating gate having a channellength defined by the length of the gate mask.
 6. A self-aligned methodfor manufacturing an electrically alterable memory device on asemiconductor layer having a top side, comprising the steps of: growingan insulating layer on the top side of the semiconductor layer;depositing a first conductive layer on the insulating layer, the firstconductive layer having a top side; forming a plurality of trenchisolation regions along a first direction, a trench isolation regionextending downwardly into the semiconductor layer; depositing a layer ofa sacrificial material on the top side of the first conductive layer,the layer of the sacrificial material having a top side; etching thelayer of the sacrificial material to form a plurality of isolationchannels along a second direction, two adjacent isolation channelsdelimiting a block of the sacrificial material, the block of thesacrificial material having two lateral sides, a top, and a bottom;forming two gate masks along two lateral sides of the block of thesacrificial material, one gate mask on each lateral side; etching thefirst conductive layer to extend the plurality of isolation channels tothe insulating layer, two adjacent isolation channels delimiting a blockof the first conductive layer, the block of the first conductive layerbeing located under the block of the sacrificial material; etching theblock of the sacrificial material to form a control channel; etching theblock of the first conductive layer to form two lateral blocks of thefirst conductive layer under two gate masks, the two lateral blocksinclude a first lateral block and a second lateral block; and fillingthe control channel with a second conductive layer.
 7. The method ofclaim 6, further comprising the step of extending the isolation channelto the semiconductor layer.
 8. The method of claim 6, further comprisingthe step of etching anisotropically the second conductive layer to forma first block and a second block of the second conductive layer, thefirst block of the second conductive layer facing the first block of thefirst conductive layer and the second block of the second conductivelayer facing the second block of the first conductive layer.
 9. Themethod of claim 8, further comprising the step of forming a diffusionregion on the semiconductor layer and between two blocks of the secondconductive layer.
 10. The method of claim 6, further comprising the stepof depositing an oxide layer to cover the entire memory device.
 11. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the second conductive layer having a widthdefined by two adjacent isolation channels.
 12. The method of claim 6,wherein the insulating layer is tunnel oxide.
 13. The method of claim 6,wherein the first conductive layer is a first polysilicon and the secondconductive layer is a second polysilicon.
 14. The method of claim 6,wherein the sacrificial material is silicon nitride.
 15. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the step of forming a plurality of trench isolationregions along a first direction further comprises the steps of: etchinga trench channel extending from the top of the first conductive layerinto a second semiconductor layer; and filling the trench channel withan oxide.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of filling thetrench channel is done through a high density plasma oxide deposition.17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of filling the trenchchannel is done through a chemical vapor deposition.
 18. The method ofclaim 15, wherein the step of filling the trench channel is done througha silicon glass deposition process.
 19. The method of claim 15, whereinthe step of filling the trench channel is done through a spin-on-glassdeposition process.
 20. The method of claim 15, further comprising thestep of polishing the oxide in the trench channel through a chemicalmechanical polishing process.
 21. The method of claim 6, wherein thestep of forming a plurality of trench isolation regions along a firstdirection further comprises the steps of: etching a trench channelextending from the top of the first conductive layer into thesemiconductor layer; and filling the trench channel with an oxide. 22.The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of growing a lineroxide over the trench isolation regions.
 23. The method of claim 6,wherein the trench isolation region having a bottom, and furthercomprising the step of performing field implants on the bottom of thetrench isolation region.
 24. The method of claim 6, further comprisingthe step of growing a layer of oxide spacer on the top of the isolationchannels.
 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step ofetching anisotropically the layer of oxide spacer.
 26. The method ofclaim 6, further comprising the step of forming a diffusion region atthe bottom of an isolation channel by doping the bottom of the isolationchannel with a first dopant.
 27. The method of claim 26, furthercomprising the step of growing a layer of liner oxide.
 28. The method ofclaim 6, further comprising the steps of: etching the insulating layerto extend the control channel to a second semiconductors layer; andperforming a high voltage threshold implant on the bottom of the controlchannel.
 29. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step ofgrowing a gate oxide on the bottom of the control channel.
 30. Anelectrically alterable memory device, comprising: a first semiconductorlayer doped with a first dopant in a first concentration; a secondsemiconductor layer on top of the first semiconductor layer, doped witha second dopant that has an opposite electrical characteristic than thefirst dopant, the second semiconductor layer having a top side; twospaced-apart diffusion regions embedded in the top side of the secondsemiconductor layer, each diffusion region doped with the first dopantin a second concentration greater than the first concentration, the twodiffusion regions including a first diffusion region and a seconddiffusion region, and a first channel region defined between the firstdiffusion region and the second diffusion region; a first floating gatehaving a first side, a second side, and a first height and comprised ofa conductive material, the first floating gate disposed adjacent thefirst diffusion region and above the first channel region and separatedtherefrom by a first insulator region, the first floating gate capableof storing electrical charge; a second floating gate having a firstside, a second side, and a second height and comprised of a conductivematerial, the second floating gate disposed adjacent the seconddiffusion region and above the first channel region and separatedtherefrom by a second insulator region, the second floating gate capableof storing electrical charge; a first control gate having a third heightand comprised of a conductive material, the first control gate disposedlaterally adjacent the first floating gate, the first control gateseparated from the first side of the first floating gate by a firstvertical insulator layer, the first control gate further being above thefirst channel region and separated therefrom by a third insulatorregion; and a second control gate having a fourth height and comprisedof a conductive material, the second control gate disposed laterallyadjacent the second floating gate and the first control gate, the secondcontrol gate separated from the first side of the second floating gateby a second vertical insulator layer and separated from the firstcontrol gate by an oxide layer deposited between two control gates, thesecond control gate further being above the first channel region andseparated therefrom by the third insulator region.
 31. The memory deviceof claim 30, further comprising a third diffusion region.
 32. The memorydevice of claim 30, wherein the first dopant having a P-typecharacteristic and the second dopant having an N-type characteristic.33. The memory device of claim 30, wherein the first dopant having anN-type characteristic and the second dopant having a P-typecharacteristic.
 34. The memory device of claim 30, wherein the firstinsulator region having a thickness that allows tunneling of chargebetween the first floating gate and the first channel region.
 35. Thememory device of claim 30, wherein the third insulator region having athickness that allows tunneling of charge between the second floatinggate and the first channel region.
 36. The memory device of claim 35,wherein the thickness of the third insulator region is between 60Angstroms and 110 Angstroms.
 37. The memory device of claim 30, whereinthe first vertical insulator is made from an oxide-nitride-oxide havinga thickness that provides capacitance between the first floating gateand the control gate, and the first vertical insulator preventingleakage between the first floating gate and the control gate.
 38. Thememory device of claim 30, further comprising two shielding oxidelayers, each shielding oxide layer placed adjacent to the second side ofa floating gate.